Editorial by Marti Ronemus
“How Does Your Garden Grow?”
It’s interesting how many bridge players are also passionate gardeners. No matter how passionate though, we are no match for some gardeners during the Georgian Era. In the 18th century, the wealthiest noblemen took their gardens over the top by including “Ornamental Hermitages” complete with hermits living in them. The best-known garden architect was Capability Brown, whose hermitages were a sight to see. These picturesque outbuildings were often decorated with shells and bones, and the resident hermit (some paid as high as $77,000 in today’s dollars) was encouraged to make wise and prophetic conversation with visitors. These verbal musings were taken very seriously, and much royal conversation was about comparing hermits’ statements. These people should have been playing bridge, don’t you think?
While few of us (dare I say none?) have ornamental hermitages (especially occupied by a hermit), we can offer some wise musings from our very own experts. None of them are hermits, that’s for sure, but definitely wise!
Let’s start with MATTHIAS HUBERSCHWILLER. Matthias has two quizzes for us as well as hands. He asks us to start out with the Bid-a-Hand quiz, because we get to play it also. Matthias’ guidance this month includes some help on avoiding being overruffed, deciding whether to play for the finesse or the drop, dealing with vicious opponents by keeping control of the tempo, and what to do when we can’t risk giving up the lead.
Next, BEN NORTON has a wonderful series all about Safety Plays. He’s got six examples of how to use the Safety Play to find the line of play that makes each hand a “stone cold” winner. Ben points out that often a Safety Play might cost an overtrick, but as we know, safety first!
Be sure to enjoy Matthias’ two quizzes. One is the aforementioned Bid-a-Hand. The second is on knowing if a bid is a slam try or not. Matthias provides some tips.
Finally, I’ve got six warm-up hands for you, each pounding away at the basics, basics, basics. Once we master them, life becomes somewhat simpler, and our contracts will have less weeds in them.
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